J. Price Administrator

DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT

Office Memorandum November 27, 1963

To: All Employees

• At 12:38 p.m., Friday, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy

and Texas' Governor John Connally were brought to the Emergency Room of

Parkland Memorial Hospital after being struck down by the bullets of an

assassin,

At 1:07 p.m,, Sunday, November 24, 1963, Lee H. Oswald, accused

assassin of the late president, died in an operating. room of Parkland

Memorial Hospital after being shot by a bystander in the baseMent of

Dallas' City Hall. In the intervening 43 hours and 31 minutes Parkland

Memorial Hospital had

1. Become the temporary seat of the government of the United States.

2, Become the temporary seat of the government of the State of Texas.

3, Become the site of the death of the 35th President.

4. Become the site of the ascendency of the 36th President,

5. Become site of the death of President Kennedy's accused assassin,

6.- Twice become the center of the attention of the world.

7. Continued to function at close to normal pace as a large

. charity hospital.

What is it that enables an institution to take in stride such a

series of history jolting events? Spirit? Dedication? Preparedness?

Certainly, all of these are important, but the underlying factor is

people. People whose education and training is sound. People whose

judgment is calm and perceptive. People whose actions are deliberate

and definitive. Our pride is not that we were swept up by the whirlwind

of tragic history, but that when we were, we were not found wanting.

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JOHN CON NALLY GOVERNOR OF TEXAS

November 30, 1963

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TO THE STAFF AND PERSONNEL OF PARKLAND HOSPITAL:

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 5

DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, DALLAS, TEXAS

DECEMBER 9, 196:

Words cannot adequately express my personal appreciation for the care, treatment and supreme thoughtfulness my family and I have received from all of you.

These have been trying days for everyone connected with this great hospital, but you have risen to the occasion with a dedication to duty which merits the highest con-fidence and praise. Parkland has proved again that it is one of the finest institutions of its kind in the world. .

Iwill probably not have the opportunity to thank each Of.you individually, so I hope you will accept this message as an expression of my heartfelt gratitude. I speak. also for Mrs. Connally, the children, other members of my family, my staff and the officers of the Department of Public Safety who have -received so many courtesies from Parkland employees. We will always remember your help and consideration.

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The Board of Managers, Medical Staff and Personnel of the Dallas County Hospital District join the Notion and :he World in Mourning the deoth of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

• A MEMORIAL Text of the sermon delivered by Chaplain Kenneth Pepper

ar the Memorial Service held in the Staff Library at 4:00 p.m., Monday, November 25, 1963. •

A crepe hangs solemnly on a surgery room door in the . Emergency Department of our hospital which speaks symboli-cally of the events of the past few days. It speaks of an event for which we are all grievously shamed and sorrowful. It Speaks for our feelings which have been bruised and grieved by the personal loss of our President. It represents the fact that each of us played a part in this world drama which hap-pened in our hometown and even within the walls of the hospi-tal itself. It thus becomes fitting that we should join hands with our nation in mourning to view the events of recent days and to pay solemn honor to the man who has shouldered the leadership of government in this all too short space of time.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, young in body, vigorous in mind, dedicated in spirit, has been taken from us. Over the. din of a multitude of cheering voices rang out three shots which cut down our president and seriously wounded our governor. Neither the skill nor wisdom of the medical ream, nor the resources of the richest nation on the Earth, nor the hopes and daydreams nourished in our breasts nor the earnest prayers of our souls was able to hold back the reality that the assassin's bullet had found its mark! in shocked dismay we cried out to God at the insult dealt to human dignity by this event.

Today we mourn his passing. We remember his concern for civil liberties and his concern for the underprivileged. We remember his faith in education and training and ultimate con-cern for the sick and the aged. Many have watched his work and have seen in him the work of an emancipator. Many of us were critical of his methods or ideas but all of us have been sharpened by the encounter with his life and leadership. We remember his family and in prayer hold them up to God that His grace may abound. In this memorial we honor the memory of our President taken in violent death.

Patrolman J. D. Tippitt, strong in heart, faithful and dedicated in service was also taken from us. Relatively un-known to us personally, yet symbolically representative of all of those who stand as a shield against evil, he gave his life in the exercise of his duty. We mourn his passing today. We memorialize his life and hold his family in prayer in these moments of worship.

Parkland is a hospital where the struggle between life and death, disease and health is our bread and meat. Rarely a 24 hour period passes that doesn't bring to out doors some-one with a story of tragedy, suffering, injustice or violence. To each of these we offer an outstretched hand — sometimes to cure often to relieve and always to comfort.

The events of the last few days have reached us all. The President, the Governor and even their possible assassin have invaded our lives in a very personal way. Although the hospi-

Trauma Room No. 1

Floral Spray placed on the door of Trauma Room No. I during the Funeral services of President Kennedy

At 9:00 a.m., Monday, November 25, 1963, at the hour funeral ceremonies got underway in Washington, D. C., for President John F. Kennedy, a floral spray was placed on the door of Trauma Room No. 1 in Parkland's Emergency Room.

The spray marked the spot where less than three days earlier the President died after being struck by the bullets of an assassin.

Members of the administrative staff placed the spray of white carnations on the door in the name of the Board of Managers, Medical Staff and all personnel of the Dallas County Hospital District.

Chaplain Kenneth Pepper led the group in prayer as Emergency Room personnel and patients looked on.

During the time of the funeral, and ever since the death of the President, Trauma Room No. 1, has been used only when absolutely necessary.

A number of suggestions have been made for memorial-izing the room where the President died, but no definite plans have been announced by the Board of Managers.

tal personnel performed as a highly skilled team ,ve'experi-enced the shock and the deep hurt of an intense drier feeling. The traumatic invasion of evil and destruction is not new to is but the scope of these events have left our feelings bruised and grieving.

We are not alone in our grief. Our city and our state stands under the shadow of this event with the sick feelings of a World community ready to erupt in :he scope-goating a of their vengeance. Dallas and the Stare or Texas bear a scar which will nor heal quickly and which will be long remembered. As citizens we feel a hurt and shame which only God can heal. The blackness of the hour hangs heavily over us.

Death is always a cruel irreversible reality. We wrestle and struggle with the grim reaper but our success only buys for us a little mote rime. But for God in His eternity, we would all be lost! Neither shame, nor guilt nor death will conquer us in God.

"Death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death, where is thy victory? 0 death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54-57.)

Hope is not lost, even in our own hospital our Governor has experienced a physical victory over this evil. Our Country's leadership has rallied to the crisis and brought unity out of the chaos. The pages of our quest of liberty is writ largely with the blood stains of patriots — both of the great and of the unknown.

Dallas bears its scar but even this can stimulate its greatness. Dallas will lift its head in forgiveness and honor. Texas will move in its tradition of undaunted bigness and integrity. In the God who is the giver of life and honor we shall have victory and life.

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PARKLAND BECOMES SEAT OF GOVERNMENT

As Governor John Connally, lay recuperating from the wounds inflicted by the assassins bullets, many changes took place in the routine of Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Governor Connally continued to run the business of the • State of Texas from his hospital bed: Bill Stinson, adminis-

trative assistant to the Governor, set up a special office in a portion of the administrative suite and the Texas Department of Public Safety established a radio communication center in the Nursing Service Office.

In addition to Mr. Stinson, Maurine Ray, personal secretary to the Governor, and Joan Kennedy, secretary to Mr. Stinson who staffed the office ull time, many other aides and volun-teers worked out of the office.

George Christian,, administrative assistant for news and public relations and Julian Read, press aide, were on hand for about the first week.

Howard Rose, executive assistant and Larry Temple, ad-ministrative assistant to the Governor, via iced briefly from Austin.

Judge Merrill Connally, the Governor's brother represented the family and received the many guests and well wishers.

State Highway Patrolmen, who are responsible for the Governor's safety, were assisted by the Dallas Police Depart-

t.rnent and hospital security guards in establishing proper se-curity measures at Parkland. The Highway Patrolmen wete under the command of Col. Homer Garrison, Jr., Director of Texas Department of Public Safety, and Major Guy Smith, regional commander, Dallas Region.

MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T REALIZED

' It was in the Parkland Memorial Hospital Emergency Room where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson became the Presi-dent of the United States at the moment of death of the late President Kennedy.

• Ar the time the dying President and wounded Governer were .brought into the Emergency Room, there were 23 other patients

i undergoing treatment in the area. Seven additional emergency Patients were admitted and treated between the time of ar-rival of the President and Governor at 12:38 p.m. and the removal of the President's body at 2:19 p.m.

▪ Every employee of the Dallas County Hospital District, whether working with the President, the Governor, another patient or 'performing regular duties contributed to the suc-cessful handling of the situation.

• Members of the press from around the nation and throughout the world have visited Parkland Memorial Hospital and telephoned in for information on the manner in which this emergency was managed.

EXCERPTS FROM A FEW OF THE MANY COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED

Our hearts have been with you and your team in these tragic days. You have carried on in the finest tradition under what must have been the most trying circumstances. Your ef-

Bill Stinson, center, administrative assistant to Governor John Connally, and chief of the temporary office established at Parkland Memorial Hospital, is shown with Col. Homer Garrison, Jr., left, Director of Texas Department of Public Safety and Highway Patrolman H. 0. Jocks, who was driver for President Lyndon B. Johnson at the time of the assassination.

Governor and Mrs. John Connally shown in the Governor's hospital room immediately following his First press conference which was televised nationally Wednesday, November 27.

forts will stand as on example for all hospitals. Stewart Hamilton, M.D. lmmediare Past President American Hospital Association

On behalf of the KXOL reporters who covered the tragic assassination of President Kennedy and the wounding of Governor Connally, I wish to express ;fly sincere thanks to your hospital staff. Our reporters at the scene told me they received every possible cooperation from your staff members in such a trying situation.

Roy Eaton News Director, KXOL Fort Worth, Texas

At a special meeting held on Monday, November 25, 1963, the Hospital Council Board of Directors asked me to extend the heartfelt congratulations of the L82 members of this Council to Parkland Memorial Hospital for the outstanding manner in which the hospital and its personnel conducted themselves during the recent tragedies surrounding the death of President Kennedy.

Your deportment at a time of extreme emergency held up for the entire nation an image of hospitals at their finest.

Henry X. Jackson President Hospital Council of Southern California

• • Every Auxiliary member f have talked with this past awful

week has echoed the same sentiment, "How proud we are of Parkland, the way its staff rose so magnificently to the lac-cassion, and how providential it was that the Emergency Room was so expertly redesigned and reorganized to serve so well in this and other emergencies."

When the eyes of all the world were on Dallas, this most important service of all was exactly right. We can all be so thankful for the fine leadership in our hospital, and in our great country that will enable us all to carry on in the best American tradition.

Mrs. Philip Van Horn Gerdine President The Women' s Auxiliary to the

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The Medical Advisory Council unanimously voted to com-mend the Hospital Administrative Officers, the Medical Staff, the Hospital Employees, the Volunteers, and the Women's Hospital Auxiliary for the prompt and effective way in which they dealt with the medical emergencies produced by the as-sassination of the President of the United States and the other tragic events of the past several days.

In no small measure the Hospital Staff's ability to function so well was made possible by the recent expansion of physical facilities and increase in personnel in the Emergency Area. The Medical Advisory Council expresses its gratitude to the Hospital Board for these improvements.

Harry M. Spence, M.D. Chairman, Medical Advisory Council Dallas County Hospital District

hr. David Hall 5/4/92 160 Barrett Ave., Evanston, WY 82930

Dear hr. hall,

Thank you very much for your letter of the 27th, for the tape of the &loon inter-

view and for the transcription of it.

At 79 and in impaired heelth I try to respond to each day's mail as soon as it gets

here to avpid accumulations. Bo, without now havie; the time to listen to or at this

moment even to read the interview, I want to thank you for them before there is any

possibility of your kind letter getting lost in one of the many stacks on my desk.

I euggest that you build no hopes on either the di:selosure of a large number of

Sealed file:; or what they may hold. The crime itself tets never investigated so there is

no smoking glue that remains hidden.

jtone has lied his heal off about these allegedly sealed filets to promote himself and

his movie, to the end that whatx would have been disclosed euasily, the records generated

by the "owe assassins committee, which required only the passing of a Ample resolution

by the House itself, in not bogged down po haps terminally with his demand for the records

of the executive agencies sonic of vhich ought not be released, and with the adeinistratios

refusal to consider disclosure of what is classified. The bill is already snagged and it

requires no only the concurrence of both lion en but Bush'e signature, which is not likely.

atone is edploiting and commercializing the assassination an a vehicle for arguing w

what he wanted to say about Viet Nam. he has gone for all the nutty theories and the film

itself is a big lie because he said it was non-fiction, his reoordina of our history. Be

-has stayed away from fact like it would kill him.

I did not catch Crenshaw on 20/20 but I've read and have a low opinion of his book.

Aside from his observations, which may or may not have been hist but in any event are not

new, all he has in the book is nutty assassination mininfornation mixed in eith a snidgeon

of fact plus the sensational claim that LBJ called him. I do not believe that and a check

of the id3J phone logs discloses no such call.

Fit tcher Prouty is a friend but he gets carried away sometimes. There is nothing to

his belief that he was sent to the ''outh tole so he could not prevent the assassination,

which he could not have done in any event, and he in just wrong on what ho said he saw in

the New .ealand paper. It was the next day. I preSume these are what you had in mind.

Again thanks and beP t ishes

"arold Weisberg